Insp Alexander: Dead Freeport bandit not Dana’s killer

Despite reports yesterday that 28-year-old David Baker, who was killed in a shoot-out with police on Tuesday night in Freeport, was fingered as the shooter in the killing of senior counsel Dana Seetahal in May, police sources maintained this was not the case and investigations were still ongoing into the attorney’s murder.

Mark Fraser

Despite reports yesterday that 28-year-old David Baker, who was killed in a shoot-out with police on Tuesday night in Freeport, was fingered as the shooter in the killing of senior counsel Dana Seetahal in May, police sources maintained this was not the case and investigations were still ongoing into the attorney’s murder.

Among those who spoke out against the Guardian report was head of the North Eastern Division Task Force, Insp Roger Alexander.

“This person, the person involved in this, I can say openly now, that the information that the police has...there is no information on what was printed today in a newspaper report. I am not taking away from anybody, I understand and appreciate journalism in this country, but just because something is printed doesn’t make it so. Once you say a senior officer in your story, people will believe the story to be true, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be so,” Alexander said.

Other sources conceded that Baker’s name came up when investigations began into Seetahal’s death, but the Express was told there was no direct evidence to link Baker to the murder.

Baker, police said, was indeed a murder suspect, but for other homicides committed in the Northern and North Eastern Divisions and that was the reason that officers of the North Eastern Division Task Force, led by Alexander and Cpl Sunil Bharath, made their way to the Freeport home on Tuesday.

Baker, a father of two, was killed alongside Reuben Richins, 23, and 19-year-old Kareem Edwards.

At about 7.30 p.m., officers attempted to execute a search warrant at Koorban Ali Drive, Calcutta No 1, Freeport in search of Baker.

When they entered the house, police said, they were greeted by gunfire.

The officers returned fire and the three men were shot. They were rushed to Couva Health Facility where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

Police say they recovered a revolver and three rounds of ammunition, as well as a Ruger .45 and two rounds of .45 calibre ammunition. They also found two bullet-proof vests which had a security logo.

However, relatives of the three men have maintained the police opened fire on the trio unnecessarily, killing them in cold blood.

Today marks 111 days since Seetahal was killed by unknown assailants while driving her Volkswagen SUV along Hamilton Holder/O’Connor Street, Woodbrook.